National Republican., 1887-04-29
abou. sb,ps and Commeroe.


In 1870 the United States had 597 sea-
going steam vessels Of over 100 tons burden,
the total tonnage Of the fleet being 5l3,012
TONS an average of $50 tons to the vessel.
Nearly all this tonnage was engaged In the
coastwise trade.
The steam commercial fleet OF the world
at that time was composed Of i,l32 vessels,
with an aggregate tonnage of 2,703, ,433, au
average to the vessel Of GT5 tons. These
figures show that the United States in 1870
owned over one-fifth Of the steam tonnage
of the world, and that its vessels were above
the average in size.
The same year Great Britain had 2,42J
sea-going steam vessels with q tonnage
of 1851, ,Ts7 tons, which gives an average to
the vessel of little less than 900 tons.
Great Britain then had but little over three
times as much steam tonnage as the United
States; its vessels were not up to the aver
age Of the world, aud were not on the
average three quarters as large as the
American steamships.
In 1856, after sixteen years had passed.,
the United States owned 330 sea-golng
steam vessels, with total tonnage of
506,6GS, an average Of nearly 1900 tons to
the ship, showing that while the number OF
vessels had decreased the average tonnage
was 75 per cent. greater, thus proving that
much better class Of vessels were being
constructed.
The steam fleet of the world had, how.
ever, increased to S,547, with tonnage OF
10,4O3,05S, giving an average of over 1900
tons to the vessel, showing that while the
numbers of the fleet had more than dou-
bled instead Of falling off, as in the case OF
the United States, the average OF the tom
mage had increased little more than that
Of the United States, and that instead of
owning over one fifth of the tonnage, as in
1870, we only Otvntd one t,Centieth Of il.
The steam fleet OF Great Britain In 1880
was composed Of 4,s06 vessels, nearly
double the number owned In 1870; the ag-
gregate tonnage was 6,5i3,6l5 tons, nearly
four times what 1t was in 1870, and the aver
age to the vessel was 1860 tons, an increase
Of over one hundred and twenty-five per
cent. on the average size In 1870; and the
percentage Of ownership In the fleets of the
world had been maintained, being nearly
four.sevenths OF the whole at both dates,
Notwithstanding the tremendous growth OF
steam tonnage in Germany, France, Italy,
Spain, Russia, and other European coun-
tries.
In 1870 Europe, not including Great
Britain, owned ,O73 sea going steamers, with
total tonnage OF 607,37l tons, making an
average of $50 tons to the vessel. In 1885
NNsta I,1 ~ n ~ a.,
a tonnage of 3,077,S72 tons, an average of
1850 tons to the vessel. In these sixteen
years Europe, outside Of Great Britain,
increased its steam tonnage by over five
fold, while that OF the United States actually
decreased.
Germany, France, Holland, and Belgium
large exporting countries, with scarcely
any coast line trade to employ sea-going
steamers, increased their commercial fleet:
from 5ll small steamers, averaging abou
1C0 tons burden, having total tonnage oi
36T,954 tons, to 1925 steamers, averaging
nearly 400 tons each, with total capacity
of l,CGT02s tons.
Tie total commerce Of the world-that
is, the imports and exports of the principal
couutTits-amounts to the almost incalcu
liable sum each year Of Sirteen MOusugd
mRiiOH dOlldis, and much the largest part
Of the goods represented by these enormous
figures is transported by sea from onC
country to the other, Take, for instance
the imports and exports of Great Britain In
merchandise, which amounted in 1884 I.
S3,ll5, ,220,0 eco, all Of which were necessarily
transported by water. The Imports an
exports Of the United States in lsS'
pmounted to 81 l,320,0 900 600, and OF thts
mere fraction crossed the Canadian aur
Mexican borders by land.
or our own foreign commerce we only
carried fourteen per cent. in our own ship,
aud none of that OF other nations, Possibly
American steamers may have carried TIVE
per cent Of the commerce Of the world
hut not more than that.
Is not the mere statement Of these hgurai
enough to make the American Legislator
blush for his imbecillty? France has two OF
three ports on the Mediterranean and tw,
on the channel, and has larger commerca
feet Of sea-gong steamers than the Unite
States. Germany, with lees than half O
dozen ports, and almost no 5eabOard, ha4
fifty per cent. more ea'going steamers than
the United States, and they average one
hundred tons each greater capacity.
France and Germany are the only nations
except Great Britain, whose foreign com